October Chicago Pride Parade Canceled Due To Continued COVID-19 Concerns

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Pride Parade had been postponed until October for this year, and now it has been canceled.

The parade is traditionally held on the last Sunday in June, but it was canceled altogether this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic – and initially postponed this year for the same reason. Now, it is being canceled again.

PrideChicago said in a statement that it had chosen an Oct. 3 date for a postponed parade with the idea in mind that it would be safer with vaccines available for COVID-19. But the highly-contagious delta variant has caused surges despite the availability of vaccines.

"Sadly, we were very naive in that belief or, a more accurate word — 'hope,'" Pride Chicago coordinator Tim Frye said in the statement. "Everyone knows the reasons we were wrong in our estimate as to how safe things would be in the fall. Leave it at that."

Frye invoked the Rolling Stones, saying, "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

"(W)e really wanted and hoped that there could be a parade in 2021. We don't feel, though, that we can do it safely for everyone in the parade and the people watching," he wrote. "We must cancel the parade for the second year."

A Chicago Pride Parade is planned for the traditional date of the last Sunday in June again next year.

"We're going to believe that in June 2022 we are living in a far safer world than now. We intend to have the best, most joyous, fabulous, memorable Pride Parade ever. Count on it!" Frye wrote.

In June of 2020 due to the pandemic, Chicago Pride Fest was held virtually with performances a dedicated to members of the LGBTQ community and first responders on the frontlines. Frye's statement did not make mention of any alternative programming for October.